So it’s been a while, I confess, but I have a new job! I’m still flying, but if all goes well (pending the on the job inspection of what I’ve learned for the past two months) will be flying farther, faster and louder. If all does not go well, i’ll be blogging a hell of a lot more. My training has been in hotels pretty far from home, so I haven’t actually been home to cook anything. Boooooo HOWEVER, the provided hotels had a mini kitchenette (do I need to say mini with ette?) Without wheels, i relied on the hotel staff to get me to and from the store. I found out that one grocery trip, carefully planned, can last for the whole month at each hotel.
Despite my planning, though, I did have leftover food. I donated it to fellow employees continuing their training once mine was done.
My 4L milk jug went off, too. i found out it soured after i poured it on the last of my favourite cereal. Boo hiss.
I digress.
What can one do with the basics: plate, spoon, one spatula and only two little electric cook tops – no oven. College mode. But his time, Mr Noodle can find his own date.
So you can: Boil stuff. Sauté stuff. Fricassee stuff And…. Burn stuff, I suppose. I opted for the boil, sauté and stir-fry stuff. I totally made the hallways smell good. No TV dinners for me! (OK –one Salisbury steak hungry man dinner – because I HAD too!! Memories of my childhood “TV night” came rushing back… *sniff* – I remember actually getting TV – and that tiny little dessert looking at you the whole time daring you to eat it first)
Anyhooooo, here’s what I made with one pot and one pan:
A Beef Mediterranean thing. Flank steak (cheap), spinach (massive box) mini toms and onions
Lime and coconut chicken thing with mucho peppers (and the cheater Jasmine rice – 10 minutes and she’s ready! woohoo! – note the emergency procedures manual – see, i WAS studying, too)
And accompanied by a jet engine schematic and a chicken tomato (mini toms, onions and more spinach) on top of those cute little seashell pasta shapes.
I admit, i was sick of eating after a while. You can’t exactly go out and buy a whole stash of your regular seasonings, spices and oils. Well, you could, but you won’t go through everything by the time you leave. So there were things i missed, like the spontaneity of last minute meal prep based on what you had in the house, or what you craved after perusing the cook books. I had to do more planning that i ever have in regards to grocery shopping. Waste not, want not. I did OK, but could have done better. Honestly, though – i don’t ever want to spend that long in a hotel again, even though they were both lovely. I was also on a ‘dry training’ kick, so no booze for 2 months. Not bad. You loose the ‘cravings’ for cooking with wine after a while. It’s quite shocking. I’ll put an end to that nonsense. bottoms up! Time to bond with the cats and my kitchen. Go figure, the husband’s away when i get back. Damn aviation.
the kitchen layover 